First and Ten - A Boy's Football Party!

Guest Author - Kristi Larson

Little boys and football, a classic combination, one as timeless as cake and ice cream. So how could you dream of creating a birthday party for your special boy without considering throwing him a football party!?

Consider making your own invitations by cutting out a football shape from a piece of brown vinyl or cardstock glued to a lighter colored paper or cardstock. Use white shoelaces or vinyl laces from the craft bead section to create the football laces. Use a real football for inspiration if you need to. Or make "tickets" to the Big Game. For the words try to think of something that relates to the game. For example, if it is the boy's eighth birthday, "First and Eight with Three Days to Go!" or "Join us for a Big 8 Tailgate!" Then continue to list out the details below. You could also use the invitation to encourage guests to come dressed in their favorite teamwear. Consider a prize for "Most Devoted Fan". As the parent, it would only be appropriate for you to wear the zebra stripes of a referee!

Now it's time for the decorations. Chances are that if you are throwing a football party your son has a favorite team. Use that for your color scheme, especially if he has some items in his room already. You can hang jerseys, helmets, cleats, pads, and pennants around the room. Create uprights by covering wrapping paper tubes with yellow paper. Put down some astroturf. Don't forget to set up a concession stand in your kitchen or food serving area. Serve foods like hot dogs, popcorn, and nachos. Use helmets to serve chips in. Oriental Trading Company has some great Football Party Supplies too!

There are so many games and activities suited to this theme. And remember, the better prepared you are, the smoother things will move along. Because once you lose kids...they're gone!

The Football Toss: Each child takes a turn throwing a football through a hoop or tire or into a basket.

The Waterboy: Using a cup and no hands or hands and a spoon, try to move water from a pitcher into a paper cup.

Suit up Relay: Get football equipment and divide the group into two teams. Have a relay by each person taking turns putting on and then taking off the equipment and passing it to the next person.

If you consider yourself to be quite a cake decorator, try your skills at a football shaped cake, cut from a large rectangular cake, or use a football shaped cake pan. If this seems a little complicated, make a simple rectangular cake and decorate it like a football field.

Little boys and football go together like cake and ice cream, so why not make his dreams of becoming a sports hero come true early! A football themed party is absolutely perfect and sure to be a winner!